Ski tow device



June 14, 19 49. E. PURICELLI I w 2 4 SKI Tow DEVICE Filed Oct. 17, 1946INVENTOR- ENZO FUR/CELL! 7' ORNEY Patented June 14, 1949 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE SKI TOW DEVICE Enzo Puricelli, Springfield, Mass.

Application October 17, 1946, Serial No. 703,854

3 Claims. 1

The invention relates to a device adapted for use with an upwardlymovingski tow rope for enabling the skier to conveniently andeffectively engage the rope in order to be towed thereby.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a ski tow device ofthe character described which is simple and compact and which can beoperatively engaged with the rope by one hand of the user and which isautomatically released from the rope when disengaged by the hand.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the drawing andfrom the following specification and claims.

In the drawing, I have shown in detail a preferred embodiment of theinvention, but it will be understood that various changes may be madefrom the construction shown, and that the drawing is not to be construedas defining or limiting the scope of the invention. the claims forming apart of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawing,

Fig. l'is a perspective view showing a device embodying the invention inuse in connection with a ski tow rope.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device.

Fig. 3 is a side view showing the device in cooperative relationshipwith the ski tow rope, and also indicating the engagement of the deviceand of the rope by one hand of the user.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view showing the device out of use and held bya suitable mitt or receiver attached to the belt of the user.

Referring to the drawing, I represents the ski tow device as anentirety, this device having an open-side notch l2 near the front forreceiving the ski tow rope. The notch [2 has substantially parallel endwalls which extend transversely inward from its open side so that thedevice can be engaged with or disengaged from the rope by sidewisemovement. At the rear of the notch l2 the device is provided with ahandle or gripping portion l4 adapted to be engaged by one hand of theuser as will presently be explained. The front portion of the device isrelatively wide and the notch I2 is formed in this wide portion. Therear or gripping portion M of the device is preferably relativelynarrow, with its center line substantially midway between the sides ofthe wider front portion. The entire device II! is preferably flat andrelatively thin, and its sides are parallel.

The device I0 is provided with means for the attachment of the front endof a tow cord, and this means is preferably at the rear of the handle orgripping portion l4. As shown, the attaching means comprises a hole l6formed in the rear portion of the device. A tow cord [8 may extendthrough the hole It and may be connected by knotting or otherwise. Therear end of the cord is suitably attached to the belt of the user asindicated in Fig. 4.

Preferably, the device. I 0 is formed adjacent the notch l2 with twooppositely disposed inclined grooves 20 and 22 in which the tow ropefits when it is entered in the notch 12. These notches are approximatelyin longitudinal register with the center line of the narrow grippingportion It.

When the device is to be used it is moved sidewise into engagement witha moving tow rope 24, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the device being sopositioned that the rope is received within the notch I2 and is enteredin the grooves 20 and 22. The handle or gripping portion 14 is at therear and this extends longitudinally along the rope. The position of thehandle or gripping portion I4 with respect to the rope maybe widelyvaried, but preferably and as shown, it is directly 'below the rope. Itwill be understood that while the handle or gripping portion [4 is shownbelow the rope, the invention is by no means so limited and the saidportion may be positioned at one side of the rope or even at the top ofthe rope.

When the device has been placed on the rope in the manner described, theuser grips the gripping portion l4 and also the rope with one hand so asto bring the gripping portion closer to the rope and so as to flex thatportion of the rope which extends thrugh the notch 12. This gripping ofthe handle or gripping portion l4 may bring it into approximateparallelism with the rope. The flexing of the rope as above describedcauses frictional engagement of the device l0 therewith at the grooves20 and 22, thus causing the device to move with the rope. Inasmuch asthe cord 18 is attached to the device and also to the belt of the user,the cord serves to tow the user upward along the slope at a speeddetermined by the speed of the rope.

If at any time the user desires to discontinue his motion he can do soby merely releasing his grip. The device can be disengaged from the ropeby relative sidewise movement. If the user loses his footing, orotherwise encounters difficulties, it is merely necessary for him torelease his grip and the rope will then pass freely through the notch inthe device. Ordinarily the device will be moved by gravity with respectto the rope so as to be completely disengaged therefrom. There is nodanger that the user may be dragged by the rope when the device is notin proper towing position.

It will be obvious that the width of the notch l2 between its end wallsshould be relatively large with respect to the thickness of the frontportion of the device. The relationship must be such that, when thedevice is initially engaged with the rope and before the rope is flexed,the gripping portion will lie at a relatively small acute angle to therope so as to make it possible for the user to grip both the rope andthe device with one hand to effect flexing. If the front end of thedevice were substantially thicker than as shown, or if the notch I2 weresubstantially narrower than as shown, the initial angle would 'be sogreat that the distance between the rope and the gripping portion couldnot be spanned by one hand of the user.

Preferably, there is provided a mitt or receiver 26 which is attached tothe belt "of the user. One side 28 of the mitt or receiver is open inorder that the device It may beslipped into it. The receiver maybeformed of leather or of any suitable fabric such as canvas. The edges ofthe receiver are stitched, as indicated, except 'at the open side 28. Itwill be seen that when the tow device in is not in use, it can beconveniently carried in the initt or receiver 26 and inasmuch as thedevice has fiat parallel side's it occupies but very little space anddoes not interfere with free movements of the user.

What I claimis'.

1. For use with a moving ski tow rope, a relatively thin hold-on devicehaving opposite substantially flat faces which are substantiallyparallel throughout and having an -open-sided parallel-ended notchextending between the said faces near the front for receiving the rope,the said device having means near the rear for the attachment of a towcord and having a gripping portion at the rear of the notch with itscenter line in longitudinal alignment with the said notch which grippingportion is adapted to be positioned adjacent the rope when the ropeextends through the notch so that when the said gripping portion and thesaid rope are gripped by one hand of the user the rope is flexed at thenotch and is thus frictionally engaged with the device to effect towing.

2. A hold-on device as set forth in claim 1, jwherem the front portionin which the notch is located is relatively wide and wherein the reargripping portion is relatively narrow to facilitate the gripping of thelast said portion and of the rope, the center line of the relativelynarrow gripping portion being substantially midway between the sides ofthe relatively wide front portion.

3. hold-on device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the notch is providedwith oppositely disposed inclined rope receiving grooves in its frontand rear edges, and wherein the center hne of the gripping portion issubstantially in longitudinal alignment with the said grooves.

ENZO PURICELLI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in file of thispatent: the

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name

